The Time for Proverbs
by gizmo-gal
Summary: Zuko once told his uncle that We have no time for your proverbs, Uncle! But it made me wonder, when exactly does the young prince have time for Proverbs. And that idea evolved into a detailed plot. Finally updated.
1. Chapter 1

**Uncle Iroh: **(breaks up fight between Zuko and Pirate Captain) Are you so busy fighting, you cannot see that your own ship has set sail!   
**Prince Zuko:** This is no time for one of your proverbs, Uncle!  
**Uncle Iroh:** It is no proverb! (points to ship sailing down the river)

Pirate captain: Bleeding Hog-Monkeys, (take off after his ship.)

**Prince Zuko:** HA Ha HA!

Points and laughs as the **_pirate captain_** runs after his ship.

Pirate **_crew_** sail by in Zuko's boat, jeering. One of them moons him,

**Prince Zuko:** Hey, That's _my _ship! (Takes off running after his ship,)

**Uncle Iroh:** Maybe it _should_ be a proverb..

**Prince Zuko:** C'mon Uncle.

That was the best qoute in the first season. In my humble oppinion, but it also got me thinking. When is the best time for proverbs? So I decided that this would be a good theme for stories,.

Plus on a sidenote I want to point out that this is the only time that Zuko laughs in season one, (has anyone else noticed this!) He laughed, really laughed! Hopefully we will see the Prince laugh in this Friday's episode. Or atlease smile.

So then, I am writing this little fanfic and it may be a series if this turns out alright, or else it might just be a stand alone fic.

A Time for Proverbs

"Uncle," said a voice strugging not to crack "Don't go. Please." The voice begged. It was prince Zuko, sitting on the side of his Uncle Irohs, The Dragon of the West, The Great general and hero of the Fire Naitons bed-side. He held his head low, and absently fingered the wooden toy in his hands.

"But, I have to, Prince Zuko." The elder bender responded. "But, I will not be gone long. Only a few weeks. Exactly three weeks. I promise." The Old retired general responded placing a supports hand on the boys shoulder. Zuko slouched as if he didn't even have a spind to support himself.

"But," He started again. "No buts, Prince Zuko." Uncle Iroh returned to his task of packing his clothes. He could've had servants do it, and they would have done a very proficient jonb of it and it would've been done in less than the hour it had already taken him. But he'd opted to do it himself. He was more than fifty years old. He'd fought, survived and saved dozens in seven of the nine great battles of the Ozai era, he could pack twenty one identical royal robes and the few extras that went with each one to make the ceremonial. "I must leave Prince Zuko." He said firmly. "But," He said softly "I will return before you know it." He grinned his wide Grin that Zuko thought made him look like a humorous squirrel chimp.

"How can you leave and return without my knowing it? I cant help but notice that your packing, making travel arrangements, and leaving!" Zuko shouted. He didn't want to be home in the capitol, with Azula for the long winter break that all the other students of the Royal Fire Academy for Boys were sure to be enjoying.

He'd been slightly relieved to hear that his father was leaving on the annual trip to some island where he'd do secret firebending stuff and stay with the Fire Sages of the temple. But to have his Uncle called away also to some far away port in the Earth kingdom aswell! It was horrible.

With out his uncle everything would be long, hard and depressing. He'd have to share Azula's firebending instructors. He'd have nowhere to run to avoid her. He'd share every meal, every activity, every drill, and lesson with her. He wouldn't be able to vanish for a few hours with out her cruel threats and jokes. He'd be miserable!

He'd tried to express this to his Uncle but it was embarrasing to say that he was…well, scared to be alone with his younger sister. But he'd swallowed his pride in a panic and said so, That Azula would have no one to bother but him!

"I am sorry, nephew. But maybe you could try finding something to do to occupy your time. I am sure that Azula will also be busy." Uncle said, realizing that Zuko had no escape and feeling guilty that he was leaving him to fend for himself for so long. But it couldn't be helped.

"Zuko there is an old saying." He began, Zuko sighed heavily but was to depressed to tell his uncle just how uninterested he was in old sayings. "If you do not like something you should change it," He began in his sagely voice.

"Change it! How! I have to eat, I have to study, and drill and live! I cant avoid her if I have to share in all her activities. And at the end of the day, then what!" Zuko shouted, feeling nearer to tears than he had been in the four years that had passed since he was seven.

Uncle Iroh cleared his throat. "I wasn't finished." He huffed impaitiently. "If you cant change it, change your attitude towards it." Iroh finished in his sagely voice that he always used when passing on knowledge, though the indignant expression showed how upset he was at having his wise recitations distrubed for the fifth time that day.

"People dont value wisdom anymore. That's why the world is now plagued with all these ill-tempered fools!" He muttered as he turned to finish packing his bag.

Zuko was quiet for several moments as he contemplated what his uncle was saying. Maybe Uncle wanted him to see what was obvious to the elder firebender but hidden to him.If he calmed himself and thought about it…Aha!

He had it. Uncle wanted him to change having to stay in the Palace with Azula, so then…

"Uncle, do you think…that…well…maybe, just maybe…that…uh, um well, I might, I mean…some how that…" Iroh sighed as he realized his Nephew reached the wrong conclusion. "I could…come?" Zuko finished in a small hopeful voice, smiling weakly and trying to imitate the pleading face Azula sometimes used to get her way about major things with their father…

Maybe, Zuko thought bitterly as he lay across his bed that evening, In his old age Uncle is losing his sight. That was a perfect copy of the face that Azula had used more than once on the fire-lord himself! His Uncle had to be blind not to cave and to tell him, and so firmly. "No."

Zuko sighed. It looked like he was stuck with Azula and himself in the palace with no one to stop them from bickering. How Ironic. He thought we will be in the company and care of several people, more than a hundred! Yet, there is no one of high enough authority that can help me. Zuko had a strange thought.

Of all the adult servants and elderly nurse-maids that looked after him. He was eleven and could boss them around, tell them what to do and they'd do it. He could even have them thrown in jail, and if he wanted to, he was sure that he could have one or two people executed if he pulled the right strings with his father. He had a great power over them.

He wasn't required to say the pleases and thank-you's that he'd always said. He wasn't required to thank them or be grateful to them. But even if he wasn't exactly grateful to them, it was a habit that he'd gotten from his mother when he was young and one he'd kept when he saw how his uncle had the same habit, of thanking the servants that, well…served him.

Zuko didn't ponder on this for long because just as he wanted to delve into this thought his door opened and his sister strode in. "Hey!" He began to protest, she put a hand and he stopped. "Don't worry, Zuzu-' "Don't call me that!" He exclaimed, contining as though he hadn't spoken she said; "I am not here to make fun of you, but simply to ask a single question well," She smiled softly as though embarassed. "actually…I need a little help." She muttered.

Zuko was suspicous, but she was just a kid like him, he thought for a moment. With out any one around to impress maybe she could behave like she had when they were really young. Before she realized that she was "special" and that she held their fathers affection. Like a little sister who can be bratty while keeping her demons under control, like the rest of the human race.

"Okay, Zula, what do you need?" He said simply, no malice or edge in his voice, only the slightest apprehension in his chest. "Well, its math. You're pretty good, right?" She asked, the childish innocence that most nine and a half year old mustered when feeling embarassed.

Zuko was good with numbers. Adding, Subtract, Multiplying and Dividing he'd quickly mastered the principles of them as a child. He was now on a higher lever or arithmetic, one with equations and problems with out numbers in them.

"Yeah sure. I can help. Is it written work or just mental figuring?" He asked, sighing releif, a small smile threating to part the clouds of gloom hovering around his face. "Mental," She responded with a like smile. "I was just wondering, what is the total if you multiply ninety by three and add seven times twenty one?" Zuko thought for a moment.

He saw the problem as all numbers in his head- 90x3+7x21, which was really just 270+147, the answer ofcourse was 417. In less than half a moment he had figured his answer and double checked it, "Oh, I am good." He thought smugly, but simply replied.

"Four hundred seventeen." "You sure about that?" Azula asked her mouth was gaping incredulously. He nodded. "Yeah, sure I'm sure." Azula grinned almost deviosly. "Why did you ask?" he asked against his better judgement.

"Oh well, we have the winter months off." She said smirking now, Zuko nodded not sure where she was going with this but certain he wouldn't like it. "Three months of winter, each one is thirty days, right?" She went on. Again he nodded affirmatively. "Right. And so we'll drill and spar everyday to keep our skills honed. We face off in three-round matches. Which I, with my superior skill, will ALWAYS win, plus when I put the extra whippings on you while we share my instructors for the twenty one days-or three weeks, which ever you prefer-that Uncle Iroh, your own personal instructor is gone then I figured that, like today I'll probably beat you in seven rounds daily, thus when we return to our respective schooling at the Royal Academy's I dont want my numbers wrong when I tell all the girls how well I pummeled you." She bowed mockingly.

"Good luck, brother." She sneered as he growled in frustration. "Bequiet! Get out!" He shouted, throwing a small square pillow at her head. Whether it was his frustrated fury of her own manipulation-he wasn't sure but the pillow burst into flames as it neared his target. He hoped against hope that she would be burned. He knew she' wouldn't be hurt and the swelling would go down in no time. He knew that if it burned so much as his sisters hair, that he would ennvoke the wrath of his father upon him as soon as the fire lord returned. But in his fury, He dind't care .

"You'll need it." She said, obviously unperturbed by the flaming cushion soaring at great speed toward her head. She turned with a single motion to defend herself, and the pillow exploded into a puff of ashes that settled to the floor where the Princess had stood. With that the click of his door closing resounded throught out the room.

Zuko sunk miserably back onto his bed. What am I going to do? Then it hit him. "If you do not like something change it. If you can not change it, then change your attitude about it." Zuko was struck with an interpretation to those words like he was a metal rod in a lightning storm.

Whoa! First chapter and guess what? This is the one hundredth Zuko and Iroh story. Don't believe me, go to the main page for ATLA fics and put in Zuko and Iroh for your characters. On the day that I posted this there were ninety nine stories (Many of them terrific!) and four pages of stories. SO I am posting this story to be the one hundredth story to fill up those pages and force the page count to spill over to five and then continue and grow to 10, 20 and fill many slots with all the great stories that are born in the imaginations of the A:TLA fans!

Thanks for reading.


	2. Chapter 2

It was a misty morning in the Fire Nation but Atila the nanny was up before the sun preparing her two young charges clothing for the day. When the ironing was done she went and saw to the preping of the breakfasts for her young charges. She also remembered that the young Princess and Prince both preferred their eggs to be fried lightly, scrambled hard. (What exactly that meant-besides the fact that they did like to exercise their right as children to be picky eaters-was actually beyond her. But who would argue with the two most powerful children in the worlds most powerful emperial nation, not her that's for sure.)

Atila went about her early morning routine with great precision, Ironing not only their daily garments but also the clothes that they would use in their firebending practice, and adjusting the princesses seat so that she would be most comfortable. So after ironing, arraninging, dusting their study desk-moving adesk for Zuko into the Princesses class room observing three different sets of eggs being prepared-before she was certain that the royal duo would be satisfied,-drawing the water for their morning baths and still climbing the long flight of stairs to the royals floor. You can imagine her utter disappointment when she found the Young Prince to not be in his room.

But when she discovered the note he'd left saying simply that he could take care of himself and would be back when he saw fit, then even you can can not imagine her absolute horror at having lost the Fire Lord Ozai's son. She immediately sent for the boys Uncle, only to be reminded that the General had pulled out of port the previous afternoon.

Atila, after many screaming bouts. The uncerimonial awaking of the princess and awaking from her faint Atila first thought that the good news in this situation was that the boy had probably stowed away on the ship of his uncle, whom he loved dearly. But upon the princesses delighted informing of the caretakers that the Prince had infact returned with the she and the escorts from the departure point and had then again been in his room that evening, after the ship had left port, the Prince was in the Fire Nation.

"But can you half-wits find him, or shall we have to send word to the Fire Lord?" She snarled.

But then Azula realized that while what Zuko had done was the epitome of stupidity, it would keep her entertained. _And when Father returns it will only get better._ Azula thought.

She did infact consider her brother a half-wit, no count who was also a pathetic excuse for a bender, but she knew that even in his lesser thinking he could outsmart the servants. _If Zuko is hiding, then this crowd cant find him._ Azula thought, mentally acknowledging her brothers skills at going quielty and moving unnoticed in large places filled with people.

"I dont know how well I'll sleep knowing that my brother, future fire lord and heir to my fathers throne is wondering helpless about." She said in mock childish distress. The servants and staff were not psychic but they knew that she was enjoying the recent development of things that could easily mean one of their lives for every hair off of the young princes head.

It was the Chiro, Captain of the palace guard that had opted too immediately send word via messenger hawk to the Retired General Iroh, Dragon of the West. "But sir, the royals will be livid." The Lieutenant protested anxiously, still hoping to convince his superior to dispatch scouts to find the boy.

"What! Lieutenant, dont be damp in the head." The Captain growled. "The General is the only member of the Royal family that we can notify, with out risking being roasted. Besides the Princess knows, correct?"

"Yes sir, the nurse maids woke her in their commotion."

"Then the fire lord will most likely find out. The only thing that we can do to lessen the blow to us as well as the boy is alert the General, get him to come back here, and help us out."

"But, Captain-" The Lieutenant began.

"How exactly would you have me explain to the Fire Lord how his eleven year old son managed to leave the palace guarded by HUNDREDS of "highly trained" watch men? Huh? Further more what should I tell him to dowse his anger when I explain that, after six hours of searching the only thing that we found is that his bed was never slept in! How then would you have me tell the Fire Lord that here we are, starting at the crack of dawn 'til nearly noon, and all we've confirmed even with the use of hounds is that the boy is _not_ hiding on the Palace grounds and therefore is wondering-naively- and unprotected from any fool who might recognize him and try something!" The Captain roared frantically.

The Lieutenant bowed his head with a sigh, they hadn't even pickjed up the boys scent with the howser-hounds. They were still looking for a lead. He bowed low and went to send the message as instructed. Grateful that the General hadn't been gone from the docks for a full twenty four hours yet.

The well trained hawk soared over the expanse of the sea. The creasture was in its tenth and final service year, and had been commended by her keeper more than once as having been the best bird he'd trained in his fourty eight years of service. But the bird was more than a little confused as too which ship the scribe had intended for her to deliver to the message too. Their was a dozen ships that had men on them in the docks.

Some being loaded, some unloading, others docking, others leaving dock. She soared lower and scanned each deck. Her bird brain had been well trained and she was able to tell after a few moments of observing the ships that the small ships were food and goods. The seven largest ships were-like the one she wanted-for war, but…her nine years and some months of training and service told him that these were wrong.

So with what was the best sigh that any fowl could manage the beautiful bird took a quick rest and with images of all the meat-scraps she'd demand for such a chore took off at her greatest paced flight. Within thirty minutes her superior eyes could pick out the thin smoke left in the desired ships wake. She doubled her speed.

It was just a few hours after noon and nine cups into tea time that Retired General Iroh chose to go and chech on his temporary crew. He ordered the captain to arrange the crew on the deck and said that he'd be up to join them. True to his word the Retired General made his way to the deck there, he was greeted by the forty members of crew and staff. Most of them-he noted immediately, with out even thinking-were either between eighteen and twenty five or—he noted with pleasure—were older (meaning forty five and up) soldiers. This looked like a relaxed crew, he should have an easy trip.

He could see the glistening spark in the eyes of the young men who'd never dreamt they'd ever do anything with a revered military hero, let alone sail on the ship of **_THE_** Dragon of the West. Retired or not. He addressed them all kindly yet firmly, not wanting to dissapoint some of the men who were sure to have collected his series of marbles as boys.

It was just after he'd finished his addressed and pronounced the word "Dismissed." That the bird was sighted. He immediately became apprehensive, he'd had a slightly queasy feeling this morning that he'd dismissed as sea sickness. "Oh Spirits of the earth…" he began his murmurmed prayers.

The men waited tense, the hawk could pass, looking for the capatain of a port just up the coast. The birds peircing shreiks filled the distant air. It had spotted its target. Circling downward, the bird began its decent. She whooped and hopped tiredly atfirst, then fluttered to the leather stresses of the Captain of the ship, The bird shouldered the man in the face. Impaitient to be on her way back to her roost. The captain took the scroll, saw the addressing as PRIVATE URGENT GENERAL IROH.

He passed the unopended scroll to the elder man, who read it and then immediately fell silent with a grave look. "My nephew has summoned me." He said rolling the scroll back up.

"We must return to the fire nation. Turn the ship around immediately!" He said. Then retreated to his private quarters with instructions for a large quantity of tea to be brought and then to be left in peace.

He took out the scroll and reread the scroll, the incompetent guards couldn't even find a trail, even with hounds! What sort of people were running the training programs these days. He reread the scroll again and then he read the copy of the message that his nephew had left, for his caretakers.

"TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: I have gone on my own accord. Do not be alarmed. I have not been kidnapped or abducted. I can take care of myself and will be back when I see fit.

I didn't like something and must change it.

Prince Zuko.

He tried to think. He decided to take a nap. Prince Zuko was no prodigy true, and he was accustommed to a very pampered lifestyle, But he was a strong bender, he was a strong person-with a strong head made of stone!- but the boy was no idiot. The Old General was sure that the boy could manage on his own for just a couple of days before suffering great injury.

Prince Zuko gasped for breath as he stopped for his first rest in the mountainous wood lands that were high above beneath the fire nation palace. "This is…" He said aloud, but couldn't find a word for it. The view was the most breath taking that he'd ever seen, but that wasn't what he was talking about. He meant the feeling in his chest.

He slumped to the ground realizing how tired he was. Zuko shivered with a rush of emotions. Fear, Shame, Happiness and nerves racked his body. He tried to think of what to do "I cant believe it," He thought, "I ran off, disappeared into the night!" He laughed as he remembered how he'd crept pass two sleeping guards. "I outsmarted them all." Zuko mused as he imagined the panic his disappearance would bring—No, by this time they were well into their search, the panic that his disappearance had brought. Then a thought hit him "I broke the rules and left the Royal grounds!"

He knew that when his father found out he would be in deep trouble. His father would double-no _triple_ his workload to keep the young mischief maker busy. But he cant blame uncle because uncle wasn't supposed to be watching me, the servants and other nannies and staff were. Zuko was glad of that, he hated to make trouble for his Uncle. "But I also hate Azula's pestering and teasing." He thougth reluctantly, drowning the voice of his conscious before a wave of guilt could hit.

The Prince watched the tiny specks that were the people going about routine life in the country side. Unaware that the Prince of their Nation and future ruler watched from his perch above. "Hey, I dont have to be a Prince here!" Zuko thought happily. He could be a kid. He was after all eleven. He was almost twelve and he barely got to have any fun.

He got up, shifted the weight of his pack and headed into the forest, he wanted to have some fun, real, untimed, unsupervised, fun. The kind where he decided what to play and when, and for how long. _Father is going to be very sore with you…_The little voice in his mind hissed at him, I dont care. Zuko thought stubbornly!

Okay that's really sort of…bleh. Not the best chapter, but come one I am in class, and I am about to take a test. The next chapter should be up in a few days, Friday May, 19th, by the latest. In the next chapter Zuko is going to go exlporing in the woods and then maybe do some swimming. Azula will ravage his room. Iroh will return to the fire nation-just as tea time approaches! And the guards will be on pens and needles. I think Zuko will meet a little girl, hmm…

Review and let me know what sort of mis-adventures you want Zuko to have! Ill do my best


	3. From the author

Hi, everyone. I am really very sorry to any fans that I may have had/ do have that were waiting for me to update a new fic or chapter to my fics. I have yet to return to writing Fanfiction publicly because of one reason and one reason only...the dreaded, dare I say it, theres no need really, you all know what it is! Its every writers most feared disease dunh,dunh,dunh!!! **Writers block!**

I got back online and began surfing the net and catching up on all my old sites in mid august this year, I was gone most of the summer from the virtual world completely occupied in reality and didn't even get around to fanfiction or social sites until September really. I've tried to add to my "Zuko and Iroh, Iroh and Zuko collection at least fifteen times. I have a bunch of dead weight type files on my PC titled "Z,I & I,Z chapt 5, take X" (X equals any numnber between 1 and 17)

All of them are utter trype and most are over six paragraphs but nothings working out. Too much description and rambling not enough story line!!!

I plan on rewatching every episode of Avatar: TLA there is to try and get some inspiration, but I am also asking you guys for help.

Could you please send me prompts of any lenght, format or style, ideas and any suggestions for over coming writers block?

What would you guys like to see added to the Zuko and Iroh collection? An Iroh exclusive (This idea JUST came to me) something Zuko and his other family members? Zuko and Azula making trouble? What!!!!

I've never suffered a total black out like this! I've worked on atleast 3 original stories (all of which will be Novels/Series when complete) at all times since I was about 10 or 11 years old. When ever I get writers block, or bored with a story I rotate to the next and make progress with that one. At least once a year I make major adjustments and corrections to all my stories. I write essays and reports and read books by the buttload! I've never been able to write ANYTHING AT ALL!!!!

HELP ME!!! PLEASE!!! Send requests, ideas, suggestions, tips, links, anything, whatever can in any way be inspiring to me via review, or via email which is (chibminshiy gmail. com ---Take out all spaces and its the address!)


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